Zoids: Rebirth Century
by Darkened-Storm
Summary: It's been two years since Van defeated the Hiltz and the Death Saurer and the people of Zi have experienced a moments' peace. But when Rudolf is the subject of an assassination attempt, the Guardian Force uncover a deadly plot to destroy both nations.
1. Prologue

**Zoids: Rebirth Century**

**By Darkened Storm**

**Summary: **One year after Van defeated Hiltz and the Death Saurer, the people of planet Zi have experienced a moment's peace. But when Rudolph is the subject of an assassination attempt, the Guardian Force uncover a deadly plot to destroy both nations.

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_The Dark Kaiser, formerly known as Prozen, together with the Ancient Zodian, Hiltz, awakened the Zoid Eve and resurrected the Death Saurer._

_Van, with the help of his once rival, Raven, attempted to put a stop to Hiltz's evil ambition, but they were no match for the power of the newly evolved Death Saurer._

_In a last ditch effort, Van utilised the Gravity Canon to break through the Death Saurer's armour, destroying its Zoid Core._

_Peace was restored once more, and the Guardian Force is disbanded. Many days and months pass._

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**Prologue**

The sun had begun to set on a historic day in the Guylos Empire, as its Emperor, sixteen year old Rudolph Gerhard Zeppellin III gazed out of his bedroom window and down into the city below. Though he was young in years, they emperor was a wise and fair ruler. During his reign the Empire had experienced its longest period of peace and prosperity.

Since the defeat of the Deathsaurer, peace had once again been restored to the Empire and its sister state, the Helic Republic. The two nations were beginning to recuperate from a prolonged period of warfare. Across the continent, cities and towns had been rebuilt, farms had replanted crops, roads had been restored and people had gone on with their lives. Life on planet Zi had all but returned to normal.

It was hard to believe that less than a year ago, he entire continent had been in a state of dire emergency and the existence of both humans and zoids alike under threat from the combined power of the Death Stinger and the Deathsaurer.

The zoids had been the key factor in the timely restoration of both nations. Now able to call upon the power of the Zoid Eve, the zoids were once again able to achieve their true potential. All over the continent, amazing discoveries were being made of ancient zoids brought back to life by the power of the Zoid Eve.

It seemed that with the deaths of both Prozen and Hiltz, the zoids and the civilians of planet Zi would finally be free of the wars that had plagued the planet since the time of the Ancient Zoidians. Yet, as he gazed out at his city in the fading light, Rudolph feared that peace was about to come to a premature end.

Trouble was stirring within the Empire, Rudolph knew it was so. Though he was youthful, he was no stranger to the difficulties that faced a ruler. Since inheriting the throne at the tender age of ten, he'd been kidnapped, chased by bandits, held hostage and declared an imposter. Even after the war ended, Rudolph had found himself in numerous dangerous situations. On a planet so accustomed to war it was difficult for the ordinary people to adjust to peace.

Rudolph also knew that despite all he had fought for in the past ten years and all that he had achieved with President Camford of the Helic Republic, there would always be someone who opposed the harmony of the two nations.

Trouble itself had really begun early that morning on the fifth anniversary of the young emperor's coronation when a letter had arrived claiming Rudolph was an imposter and vowing to restore the rightful heir of the Guylos Empire to the throne.

Perhaps in his youthful ignorance, Rudolph would have dismissed the letter as a hoax – again, he wasn't a stranger to assassination attempts, his own regent had once hired a band of thugs to eliminate him. His most trusted advisor, however, wasn't keen on taking chances.

"Your Majesty," Prime Minister Homaleff said. "Perhaps it would be best to forego this year's celebrations, at least until we can ensure your safety."

Rudolph sighed heavily, watching as a eager young child dressed in festive clothing hurried down the street with his mother in tow. They were among the many Guylos citizens that had abandoned the work and rebuilding efforts to attend the celebrations.

"You know I can't do that, Homaleff," he said grimly.

The Prime Minister looked uneasy, but he knew that the Emperor would not be swayed. Rudolph's duties were far too important to him. With a resigned sigh, Homaleff rose from his seat. "I shall inform the palace officials that the celebrations will go ahead as planned, your Majesty," he said.

Rudolph nodded. "Thank you Homaleff." The door closed quietly behind the Prime Minister and Rudolph wondered for a moment whether he'd made the right decision. Being the ruler of a nation meant there was very little room for error and Rudolph could not afford to be too uncertain in any of his decisions. This time though, Rudolph was afraid.

He continued to stare out the window, hoping to find solace among the stars. The sky was very dark now, and the sun disappeared below the horizon. In the sky above him, Rudolph saw Zi's two moons. Almost everyone on the planet knew the story of Zi's moons, Rudolph's grandfather, the late Emperor, had told him the story when he was only a little boy.

Long ago, Zi had three moons. After the planet had been at war for many generations, the battle between the two nations came to a final showdown. In the midst of the battle however, the unthinkable occurred. A comet struck Zi's third moon and the many pieces of the shattered moon rained down on the planet, decimating the many armies and leaving the planet in a state of disarray.

The civilians of planet Zi had believed it to be a disaster caused by the Gods of Zi, who were displeased with the wars that raged throughout the planet. Whether or not such gods did exist, Rudolph could not be sure, but in his opinion the message was as clear as crystal – a prolonged war would do nothing for the people, but would bring about the destruction of both nations.

Rudolph sighed gravely once again and turned to face the officers gathered in his study. Two were his personal guards, Rosso and Viola. The third was Colonel Karl Lichen Schubaltz, the Chief of the First Panzer Division. All were trusted officers who had made many sacrifices for their Empire.

"Do you think there is any danger?" Rudolph asked quietly.

Rosso, was silent for a moment. "An audience might make it all that more appealing to an assassin," he said slowly. "This is a very risky decision you're making Rudolf."

"I know," Rudolph said solemnly, looking once again to the city below. More people had gathered for the celebrations. Briefly, he wondered if the person who'd sent the letter was inside the walls of the palace at this very moment and the thought chilled him to the bone. He knew, without Rosso telling him, that he was taking a very big risk.

"The loyal followers of the Prozen dynasty hereby vow to reclaim his throne." Rosso's companion, Viola, glared down at the letter in her hands, her expression sour. "The letter speaks in plural. This isn't just some sick individual that's out to get Rudolph, we could be dealing with a highly organised group of mercenaries."

"If you don't mind my asking, your Highness," Schubaltz began. "Who sent the letter?"

Viola checked the letter and shrugged her shoulders. "There was no name; it's just signed 'The Prozen Knights'."

Rudolph looked worried. The Prozen Knights had been an elite division of the Imperial Army during the time of the war and loyal only to Lord Prozen. After the defeat of the first Deathsaurer, Rudolph's council had dissolved the unit. If the Prozen Knights had returned, it could be for only one reason; to reclaim the throne of Guylos, even if it meant eliminating the current emperor – permanently.

Schubaltz seemed to sense his train of thought. "You have nothing to be afraid of Your Highness," he assured the young emperor. "My men are station at every entrance to the palace, if this assassin shows himself, we'll stop him, you have my word on that."

"I have complete faith in you and your men, Colonel Schubaltz," Rudolph said boldly. He knew he was in the best capable hands.

"Proud Citizens of the Empire, I now present His Royal Highness, Emperor Rudolph Gerhard Zeppelin III."

The entire city was gathered in the streets on Guygalos for the parade, which began inside the walls of the palace itself.

To be seen by all, Rudolph had to stand on the stairs that led to the upper floors of the palace. Rosso and Viola stood on either side of him, their senses on high alert. Viola held her hand over the gun holstered at her waist. Colonel Schubaltz and his men stood stationed on the lower level of the palace.

Not once throughout the entire ceremony did the Colonel relax. He'd travelled twelve hours from his regular post at the Empire's borders to the capital in his Zaber Fang. His muscles ached, and his eyes burned from lack of sleep, but he refused to lose focus – the Emperor's life could depend upon it.

Across the large entrance hall, his younger, and far less impressive brother, Lieutenant Thomas Richard Schubaltz was having a heated discussion with one of his other officers. The older Schubaltz sighed. Thomas had always been rather difficult to work with.

Focusing his bright green eyes upon the Emperor once more, Schubaltz turned his attention back to the ceremony. There would be time to address Thomas's inability to cooperate later, after Rudolph's speech, perhaps.

Before Rudolph could begin, however, there was a sudden stir near the doorway. A cloaked man was pushing his way through the crowd, a sleek forty-five calibre pistol in his hand. Two women shrieked, a man shouted and a child cried out as the man raised the gun and fired.

Rudolph had no more than a split second to process what was happening before he was thrown to the ground by Viola, the woman giving a loud cry as they crashed down onto the cold, marble steps of the palace.

Rosso reacted a moment later. The Chief of the Guards drew his gun, ready to fire at the assassin, but the crowd was out of control and in his line of fire. Confusion and fear served the assassin well and he disappeared into the crowd, re-emerging seconds later at the exit. Only a single child stood in his way.

"Thomas!" Schubaltz called out. Thomas was quick to act, racing across the entrance hall towards the child. The Colonel held his breath as the gun fired once more and his brother dived, knocking the child to the ground with a heavy grunt. The assassin raced past them and out into the palace grounds.

A fleeting glance in his brother's direction assured the older Schubaltz that Thomas was unharmed and he turned to command his men. "After him!" His men were quick to follow, dispersing themselves across the grounds. Only one remained with Schubaltz as he searched the grounds.

The many people, civilians and palace staff alike, made it difficult for Schubaltz to conduct his search and at first he feared the assassin had eluded them. Then a sudden movement caught his attention. "Hold it right there!" he commanded.

The assassin had no intention of being caught. With one final cry, he leaped from the high wall surrounding the palace and fell to his death. "Long live the Prozen Dynasty!"

The Colonel gritted his teeth and bowed his head. So much for that, he thought, dismayed. "Captain, recover the body," he ordered his subordinate. The blonde haired and sapphire eyed second in command nodded and hurried off. Schubaltz watched him go, and then turned to his men. "The rest of you, fan out and search the palace. This man was not working alone."

Meanwhile, inside the palace, Rudolph knew nothing of his assassin's death, or the mad search for his accomplices. In his mind, his only concern was the woman who'd thrown herself in the line of fire to save his life.

"Viola! Speak to me!" The woman's body was a dead weight upon him as he shook her, desperately trying to rouse her. Blood had begun to seep through her clothes from the wound and she breathed shallow breaths.

"Rudolph," she whispered, the effort required to speak evident through the strain on her face. "The old man was right after all," she chuckled. "It was too dangerous. I'm sorry." Regret was evident in her warm brown eyes for a brief moment before her eyelids fluttered shut and she lay still.

A single tear rolled down the Emperor's cheek as he cried out her name once more. "Viola!"

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This is a redraft - I've changed the story line a little. Reviews would be nice


	2. Part I: The New Recruit

**Zoids: Rebirth Century**

**By Darkened Storm**

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**Part I - A New Threat**

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**Chapter One: The New Recruit**

**_Guardian Force HQ_**

**_Red River Base (Republic)_**

The wail of a siren echoed throughout the base at Red River, announcing the start of the simulation. In the hallways, the emergency lights flashed as crew members hurried through the narrow corridors between the Command Centre and the hanger bay.

Inside the hanger bay itself, Lieutenant Commander Van Flyheight and his companion, a silver organoid, stood on the observation platform. On the hanger floor below them, rebel officers in grey uniforms went about their duties. The organoid grumbled something unintelligible to its cohort.

"I know Zeke," Van murmured, understanding, without difficulty, the organoid's concerns. "It's starting."

The Pilot's exam was a high tech simulation run by the Guardian Force Academy to test the capabilities of the military graduates. Pilots trained for many years, under careful instruction from the best instructors from the Imperial and Republican armies.

Only the top ranked students each year were permitted to attempt the test, and even then, very few passed. Lieutenant Flyheight was one of those pilots.

He watched as down below him, the hanger crew prepared a single zoid for deployment. The zoid was a Blade Liger, much like the one Van himself piloted, only this one was amethyst in colour and smaller in size, a Blade Liger MS class. He caught only a brief glimpse of the pilot as the canopy closed and the zoid powered up.

An officer wearing a bright coloured safety vest signalled for the shield doors to be opened. The Liger's foot falls echoed throughout the hanger as it left the base.

Zeke growled at Van again and he nodded in agreement. "Let's see just how good she really is."

On the other side of the base, Fiona Elisi Linette stood with a winged, lilac organoid. Undisturbed by the commotion going on around it, the wild zoid watched the simulation unfold with an uneasy growl.

"Don't worry, Storm," Fiona said in an effort to appease the anxious zoid. "I'm sure she's going to be just fine."

But the small zoids remained apprehensive. The pilot involved in the simulation was its partner, and it detested the thought of being kept on the sidelines. The organoid knew it had no choice in the matter, as it was a requirement that all military exams be undertaken without the assistance of an organoid, but that didn't mean it had to like it.

The Blade Liger Master Series, or MS for short, was high performance, close combat Republican zoid. It stood just over a meter shorter than the standard Blade Liger, and its armour was somewhat sleeker, owing to the fact that it was designed for high speed combat rather than powerful assaults.

A single siren announced the beginning of the simulation. Almost on cue, a battalion of command wolves opened fire on the liger. The liger's pilot, however, was quick to respond, performing numerous evasive manoeuvres before engaging the attack boosters and countering with laser fire.

Meanwhile, within the Command Centre, Major O'Connell of the Red River Base approached his superior. "Colonel Herman, the Blade Liger had breached sectors B-seventeen and B-eighteen," he reported.

Colonel Rob Herman looked up at the observation screens before him. On screen, a heavily customised amethyst Blade Liger was closing in on the base. As O'Connell had rightfully pointed out, the zoid had already breached the south sectors surrounding the base, leaving a trail of defeated zoids in its wake. It moved past the bases first line of defence, the automatic laser cannons and onto the second line.

Overhead, two Pterases commenced their bombing run. The Liger dodged each assault with ease before countering with laser fire from its pulse lasers. The lasers hit their mark with pinpoint accuracy and the two air type zoids went down in a cloud of smoke.

The pilot didn't stop there. Engaging the attack boosters equipped to the Liger's back, the pilot charged through the line of Command Wolves, slashing through two of them with its laser reinforced blades and pouncing on a third. Only a handful of Command Wolves remained, and these the pilot dispatched with the Liger's teeth and claws.

"Colonel Herman, how should we proceed?" O'Connell asked.

The colonel was silent for a moment, his expression unreadable as he watched the Liger breach the second line of defence, taking down two more Ptera Strikers with an impressive display of laser fire. Not bad, the colonel thought.

"Colonel?" O'Connell asked again.

"Launch the Anti-Zoid missiles," Herman commanded. The Anti-Zoid missiles were the base's last line of defence. If the pilot survived those, it would be all over.

Outside the base, the missile carrier locked onto its mobile target and launched two missiles in succession. Whoever was piloting the Liger must have been either unconscious or out of his mind to continue the assault in the face of such heavy fire.

As it turned out, whoever was at the controls of the Liger was neither unconscious, nor insane. In a daring move, the pilot engaged the boosters once again and dodged the first missile, which veered off into the distance. The pilot wasn't quick enough, to dodge the second missile however, which exploded on impact.

A cloud of smoke and debris erupted upon impact, obscuring both the pilot's vision and the image on screen in the Command Centre. Various gasps and exclamations echoed throughout the room as each officer watched the screens with baited breath.

"Let's see how well she faired," Herman muttered under his breath. "O'Connell, give me a status report."

The Major looked up from the displays, his expression uneasy. "Sir," he said, his voice wavering. "There's no response from the Liger." Herman frowned and checked the monitors himself.

A wave of disappointment washed over the colonel as he realised O'Connell had been right. With a sigh, he switched off the monitors. "That did it," he muttered. The wail of the sirens died almost instantly as Herman turned his back on the viewing screen.

Perhaps he'd been overconfident, he thought as he moved away from the controls. Perhaps he'd overestimated her skills ... but she'd had so much potential...

Then he heard O'Connell, hunched over the secondary monitors, gasp. "Rob, look!"

Herman turned and looked at the screen. Something was moving amongst the smoke and debris. The colonel raced back to the control panel and switched the monitors back on. A single, lone dot had reappeared on the radar screen. She had survived.

Beside him, O'Connell looked up at the observation screen where the smoke had finally cleared, revealing the Blade Liger, in all its glory, surrounded by a bubble like shield. Hastily, he checked the monitors. "The Defence System has been breached, sir," he reported.

As he spoke, the Command Centre erupted into cheers from the officers and crew. Herman too, nodded, pleased. "Better than I expected," he said, but quietly so that only O'Connell could hear. He was impressed.

"Should we...?" O'Connell asked him.

"Go and congratulate the pilot?" Herman finished as he switched off the monitors once more and powered down the Command Centre. "Yes, I think we should."

As he and the Colonel walked down the narrow passageways toward the hanger, O'Connell's expression broke into the first grin he'd worn all day. "Did you see how easily she slipped past those Command Wolves?" he exclaimed. "No recruit has passed the simulation that quickly since..."

"Since Colonel Krueger was in charge," Herman agreed proudly. Since the old Colonel had retired, Herman had found himself with many expectations to live up to as the President's son. Today, he believed he'd lived up to one of those expectations. He'd successfully trained a recruit to pass the hardest simulation on Planet Zi.

By the time Herman and O'Connell arrived in the hanger bay, the Blade Liger MS had returned to base. It now stood in the middle of the hanger bay where soldiers and crew had gathered around it. Among them were Van and Fiona, both wearing proud grins on their faces as the cockpit opened and the pilot, a young woman wearing the grey and red uniform of the Republican Army emerged.

Amid the cheers and exclamations from the small crowd, she leaped down from the cockpit, her boots landing with a muffled thump on the hanger floor. She was grinning from ear to ear.

The pilot was Lieutenant Stephanie Summers, daughter of the renowned zoid pilot and Republican General, Marcus Moretti. At nineteen years of age, she was one of the youngest recruits that Herman had trained since taking over from Colonel Krueger just over three months ago. Since then, the Empire and the Republic had established a joint military training program, the Guylos/Helic Special Operatives Program, which operated alongside the Guardian Force. Herman had been delegated the task of training the new recruits by President Camford herself.

Steph had been the first recruit to volunteer for the program. Since then, she and her organoid, Storm, had been in special training under Colonel Herman in the Republic, and Colonel Schubaltz of the Imperial Army. During the three months of extensive training, she'd proven herself to be a capable pilot of the Blade Liger, almost as good as Van himself.

Van grinned. "See Fiona, I told you she'd make it through without a scratch." Zeke grumbled something that sounded suspiciously like a laugh, but one couldn't be too sure where organoids were concerned.

The ancient zoidian girl beamed as stepped into place beside Van. "I'm glad," she said happily. Beside her, the lilac organoid growled a question.

"What's that Storm?" Fiona asked with a smile, then looked over at the Colonel, who simply nodded his head. "Yes, I think it's okay for you say hello now."

With a loud roar, the lilac organoid plodded over to her partner, its footfalls echoing loudly through the hollow hanger, almost knocking her partner over in its enthusiasm.

Steph laughed at her partner's eager greeting and ran her hand along the organoids back. She looked up as Van, Fiona and Zeke joined her.

"So, how'd I do?" she asked. Though she was around his age, when standing next to Van, she barely reached his shoulder. She had long, dark hair and brown eyes, which was typical of many republicans. A single star shaped tattoo below her left eye represented her aristocratic upbringing.

Van merely shrugged his shoulders and turned to look at Herman expectantly. The colonel nodded.

"Lieutenant Summers," he said slowly, his expression breaking into a grin similar to that of O'Connell's. "Congratulations, you passed the exam with flying colours."

Steph couldn't help but grin as the crowd around her erupted into cheers once more, Van and Fiona's voices among them. Beside her, Storm purred in a very zoid-like manner. Steph looked proudly up at her zoid. The Blade Liger was sporting some minor damage from the anti-zoid missiles, but it was nothing that wasn't repairable. A day or two resting in the hanger bay and her zoid would be as good as new.

"We did it," she said, happily. Storm grumbled in agreement, wagging her long, sleek tail.

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**_22:30 hours _**

**_Location: Unknown _**

Far away, in the Imperial Empire, deep within the mountains and far from sight of troublesome Republican or Imperial airborne zoids was a hidden fortress. Inside this fortress, the young Wolff Muroa stood overlooking the Guylos River than stretched out into the distance. A black and grey organoid stood at his side, motionless as its master dwelled on his thoughts, thoughts of a happier time, of a friendship buried beneath the turmoil and destruction of war.

Once, long ago, he'd been Prince Rudolph's trusted companion. When his father had been appointed Regent and Admiral of the Guylos Empire, Wolff had been given to Rudolph as a companion, so that the young Prince would not be lonely. Though Wolff was a few years older than the prince, they had grown up together, like brothers. Together they had done their lessons in the schoolroom, eaten their meals in the Great Hall, played tag in the vast grounds around the palace and teased the guards.

As the two boys had grown older, there had been less time for games. The Emperor's health had taken a turn for the worse, and Rudolph's days were filled with extra tasks and duties, whilst his father turned his attention to the war between the Empire and the Republic. Neglected and alone, Wolff began to despise the Empire and all that it stood for, and the Republic also, for, if it hadn't been for the Republic, his father, and the young prince need never had turned their back on him.

When Prozen's Empire had crumbled, he'd fled the Imperial City and disappeared from Empire, along with the few Prozen loyalists that had survived the war. They were leaderless now, with nowhere to go, and although Wolff held no love for his father, he accepted his duty and became their leader.

Yes he, Wolff Muroa, was Prozen's son, and the rightful heir to the Guylos Empire.

"Medlonik," he said, turning to face the old captain. "I am waiting for your reports on our enemies movements."

Medlonik bowed before his leader. "Your Highness," he said, willing his body not to tremble. "The attack on the Imperial Palace was a failure. The Emperor still lives."

"As I suspected," Wolff muttered, seemingly unphased by this information. "It doesn't matter. I have other plans."

"The Republic has been named as the plausible culprit for the attack," Medlonik assured him. "It won't be long before the alliance between the Republic and the empire crumbles, and then the Empire will be at our mercy."

This pleased Wolff greatly. Now his enemies knew that their precious time of peace was over. Now was the time for him to act. He had many plans, and plans within plans, all with a single goal in mind: to realise his father's ambition, to unite all of Zi under the Prozen Dynasty.

As the old captain left, he rose from his chair and crossed the room, pulling back the heavy velvet curtain. Behind it stood a large, lion type zoid, its features masked by the darkness, but its eyes, glowing red with the desire for blood and destruction shone. Beside him, the black and grey organoid growled lowly.

"Soon," he murmured to appease the organoid. "Soon, it shall be complete."

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**_23:00 hours_**

**_Guardian Force HQ_**

**_Red River Base (Republic)_**

Hours later, at the Red River Base, Steph stood outside the command centre overlooking the Red River, and across the river, the Imperial Base at Dragonhead.

She did this quite often after a long day of training. The night sky was so much more spectacular here at Red River than it was back in her home city of New Helic. The bright city lights and pollution masked the stunning sparkles in the night sky. Here, there were no bright lights, only the two moons of Zi illuminated the landscape before her.

The scenery was breathtaking, and even the hardest of soldiers couldn't help but admire it, so she wasn't surprised when someone joined her.

"I want you to know that I'm proud of the way you handled that simulation," Herman told her. He too looked up at the stars. Steph knew he was looking for the Blue Planet, their home. "That was the hardest exam any military recruit has undertaken. Your father would have been proud of you."

Steph couldn't help but feel slightly embarrassed. "So would yours," she said kindly.

Herman smiled at her, but said nothing. That was when she noticed he was dressed in his formal Colonel's uniform, not the usual military gear he wore around the base and in the field.

"Are you going somewhere Colonel?" she asked politely.

"Just into town for some drinks with an old friend," he told her.

"Would that old friend happen to be Colonel Schubaltz?"

Herman chuckled, leaving the question unanswered. "Goodnight Lieutenant," he said. She watched him go before turning back to look at the small celebration in the dining hall. The other recruits would no doubt want to congratulate her, but she hated to be the centre of attention. So, instead of joining them, she wandered down the hallway in the direction of the hanger bay, where she knew she'd find Van and Zeke.

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This is a redraft again - I've split the story into six parts - this is part 1. reviews are nice


	3. The Secret Meeting

**Zoids: Rebirth Century**

**By Darkened Storm**

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**Chapter Two: The Secret Meeting**

_**02:00 hours**_

**_Sand Colony (Republic)_**

The Sand Coloney was a village on route to New Helic City from the Empire. Though only a small establishment, the colony was bustling with trade and livelihood, a common place for both the Imperial and Republican Armies to stop over and resupply during missions.

The town itself, however, held no interest for Rob Herman as he wondered the Main Street in search of the inn. The Sand Valley Inn certainly wasn't one of the town's finest, but it suited Herman just fine. He wasn't interested in the activities going on in the bar as he entered, and the bartender serving drinks paid him no heed and he scaled the stairs to the first floor landing. From there, he made his way down the hallway and entered a room at the end of the corridor.

As he expected, someone was waiting for him. Colonel Schubaltz sat patiently at the table, his chin resting on his hands, bright green eyes watching Herman carefully. A steaming mug of hot coffee sat on the table in front of him.

"I was almost beginning to think you weren't coming," the Imperial Colonel remarked.

Herman tossed his travelling cloak aside and took a seat opposite Schubaltz. "And pass up your offer of free drinks?" he asked smartly. "I don't think so."

Karl watched him as he helped himself to some coffee. His friend looked worn, but cheerful none the less, and Karl had a feint idea as to why. "I take it she passed, then?"

"With flying colours," Rob replied. The inn had been a common place for the two colonels to meet since the war had ended, and after defeating the Deathsaurer. Since then, the two had become more than just associated officers – they had become good friends.

"You must be proud of her," Karl said knowingly. "She's your first student to pass the simulation." Karl had trained many pilots during his time as a senior officer in the Imperial Army. But in the few years since the war had ended, Karl was yet to see a pilot that could handle a Blade Liger better than Lieutenant Summers, except Van Flyheight of course.

"I'd like to say it's all thanks to my brilliant training, but she's a talented pilot herself," Rob nodded in agreement, staring absently out of the window. "Takes after her father." Then he shook his head.

"I doubt you came all the way out here just to congratulate me," he said, his tone growing serious. He knew part of the reason Karl had suggested this inn was that it was so sparsely occupied that they were in no danger of being overheard. That, and it served a good beer.

Karl sighed, running a hand through his untamed blonde hair. "Am I that transparent?" he muttered. Herman smiled sympathetically. "Last night was the fifth anniversary of the Emperor's Coronation," he explained. "During the celebrations, somebody tried to assassinate Emperor Rudolph."

If anything could be said of Schubaltz's nature as a commander and soldier in the Imperial Army, it was that he didn't waste time with small talk.

Herman struggled to keep a straight face. He managed it, only his voice betrayed the seriousness of the situation. "I see," he said gravely. "And do you have any idea who this person was?"

"Military records confirmed his identity as a Captain Hardin, a former Prozen loyalist," Karl told him, passing a white folder with the Empire's crest on the cover across the table to Rob.

Rob looked over the file, skimming over the pages. "Hardin," he pondered. "Where have I heard that name before?"

"Lieutenant Hardin was Prozen's second in command," Karl explained. "Captain Harden was her son."

"Ah, that explains it," Herman said. He'd only faced the lieutenant briefly in the battle of Guygalos. She'd died when she'd foolishly attempted to bring down an entire division of the Republican Army in her Iron Kong.

"Have you questioned this captain? Is he working for someone, or just acting of his own accord?"

Karl shook his head. "We don't know. He committed suicide to avoid capture."

Rob's eyebrow quirked. What would drive a person, a captain of the Imperial Military no less, to such extreme measures, he wondered.

"And the Emperor?" he asked.

"I imagine he's tucked safely in bed by now," Karl said. "With a hundred of the Empire's best soldiers outside his door." He spoke fondly, but gravely. Rob didn't need to ask to know how concerned the Imperial Colonel was for his Emperor. The Schubaltz clan had served the Imperial Dynasty for over a century.

Rob too, was concerned. Like Karl, he admired the young Emperor. It was because of Rudolph that the war between the Republic and Guylos had ended peacefully.

"There's something else as well," Karl went on, his voice heavy. "Rudolph received a warning note early yesterday morning." He reached into his pocket and retrieved the letter, handing it to Herman.

Herman read to note slowly. When he'd finished, he looked up at Karl wearily. "The Prozen Knights?" he asked.

Karl nodded. "The Prozen Knights were an elite division of the Imperial Army that served under Prozen's command during the war," he said. "The unit was abolished by the State Government shortly after Rudolph's coronation. Unfortunately no official record was kept about the unit, so we have no idea who's behind it."

"We're in a tight spot Rob," Karl sighed heavily. "It's no secret that the Imperial Military has been corrupt ever since Prozen took command. Lots of commanders got where they are today by supporting Prozen. We don't know who we can trust and who are enemies are."

Rob nodded, understandingly. He knew what Karl was going to ask. "I can't assure you the support of the Republican Army," he told him. "Only my mother can do that."

Disappointment flashed through Karl's eyes for a brief moment before he reigned it in. "I understand," he said evenly.

But Rob wasn't finished. "I can, however, assure you that you have my support, and the support of my division at the Red River base."

Karl let go of a breath he hadn't known he was holding in. This was good news. Perhaps with the Republic's help, they'd be able to discover who was behind this terrible plot. "Thank you, Rob," he said gratefully.

"You'd do the same for me," he said simply. "In fact, I'm going to send my best team to help you out."

"Whoever they are, they'll have to be able to work with Thomas," Karl said sourly, thinking of his little brother. Thomas had always been rather difficult to work with.

But Herman only chuckled. "I know just the right team for the job," he said with an air of confidence.


	4. The Assignment

**Zoids: Rebirth Century**

**By Darkened Storm**

**Summary: **

It's been three years since Van defeated the Hiltz and the Death Saurer and the people of Zi have experienced a moments' peace. But when Rudolf is the subject of an assassination attempt, the Guardian Force uncover a deadly plot to destroy both nations.

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**Chapter Three: The Assignment**

It was well past midnight when at the Red River Base so, understandably, Fiona was quite surprised to find Van with Zeke in the hanger bay, the disassembled parts of the Liger's attack boosters spread out on the floor in front of them.

Van and Zeke weren't the only ones up late though. Steph was perched on a large crate beside the Liger, an instruction manual open on her lap. Her organoid, Storm, had curled itself up on the floor beside her and was apparently asleep. Another girl lounged in a chair beside a computer terminal. She was Rebecca Carter, Steph's younger cousin and one of Colonel Herman's newest recruits.

"Doesn't anybody sleep around here?" the ancient zoidian girl asked.

Steph smiled at Fiona as she approached. "Apparently not," she said, flipping a page of the manual. "Okay Van, you need to reattach the stabilisers next."

"Got it," Van said, reattaching the stabiliser to the booster Zeke was holding. When the part was in place, he tightened the bolts with a wrench. "Hold still, Zeke," Van instructed the impatient organoid as he tested the strength of the bolt.

Zeke grumbled something unintelligible that sounded to Van much like a complaint, but the organoid held still and Van secured the part in place.

"What are you all working on so late?" Fiona inquired.

"They're modifying the attack boosters on Van's Blade Liger," Becky told her.

"At this hour?" Fiona asked, watching as Van reattached the second stabiliser and tightened the bolt.

"When Van noticed that the Liger was running a little sluggish, he wanted to get started right away," Steph explained.

Fiona turned to Van, placing her hands on her hips. "You couldn't wait until tomorrow?" she scolded.

Van grinned sheepishly. "A pilot is only ever as good as the equipment he uses. I can't expect to be at my best if the boosters aren't working properly."

"I've heard that before," Fiona said, shaking her head. The ancient zoidian girl had never known a zoid pilot more stubborn or hard headed than Van Flyheight.

Van grinned at her before looking to Steph. "So what now?"

"I'll tell you as soon as I figure it out myself," Steph said, frowning at the instruction manual, as though it had some personal vendetta against her.

Normally, Steph didn't mind playing mechanic on the odd occasion that something went wrong with one of the zoids, and she was quite good at it, most of the time. Unfortunately for her, this wasn't one of those occasions.

Becky pouted. "Everyone's celebrating and we're stuck in this dodgy old hanger bay," she said dismally. Van and Steph's decision to confine themselves in the chilled hanger when there was a celebration to be had seemed to go against Becky's fundamental work, rest and play policy.

"We'd get this done a lot quicker if you'd help us." Steph told her cousin. Becky merely stuck out her tongue in response.

From afar, the two girls looked strikingly similar. They both had the same round eyes and full cheeks and both girls had a single, star shaped mark below their left eye. But that was where the similarities ended. Becky, though younger, was the taller of the two, five-foot-four, with slender features, golden brown hair and honey brown eyes.

Becky had only begun her training a few months ago, but she was proving to be a very capable pilot of the Republic's newest zoid, the Liger Zero.

"Why does Doctor D always have to make his contraptions so darn difficult to work with," Steph muttered under her breath, flipping a page. None of the instructions the old man had provided her seemed to make much sense at all.

Becky rolled her eyes. "Oh, give it here," she said, snatching the instruction manual from his hands and flipping through the pages. "If we hurry up, there might be some food left over from the party."

"I wouldn't count on that, Carter," a new voice said.

Becky pouted. "Says who?" the blonde grumbled, turning around in her seat to get a look at the newcomer. Major O'Connell stood in the doorway to the hanger, wearing his famous 'no nonsense' expression.

"I hate to bother you all so late – "

"It's okay, it's not like we were sleeping or anything," Becky grumbled. O'Connell shot her a look and she clamped her mouth shut, allowing him to continue.

"We have a crisis situation," O' Connell said. "Colonel Herman has requested your presence in the briefing room at once," he told them.

"All of us?" Fiona inquired politely. O'Connell only nodded.

Van sighed, tossing aside the wrench. "I guess we'll finish this later," he said. "Come on Zeke," he called over his shoulder. His companions followed suit, Storm yawning loudly as she followed Steph towards the briefing room.

"What do you think's going on?" Becky whispered to her cousin.

"I dunno," Steph muttered, a foreboding feeling in her chest. "But it can't be good."

When they entered the briefing room however, they were surprised to find two familiar looking people already there.

"Moonbay! Irvine!" Fiona exclaimed happily.

The dark haired girl sitting at the table waved to them. "Hey there Fiona!" she said.

"What are you guys doing here?" Van wondered aloud, raising an eyebrow at the mercenary. "Irvine, shouldn't you be out winning prize money in a zoid tournament somewhere?" he asked. Irvine merely shrugged his shoulders.

Moonbay scowled. "Hi, Van," she said with an air of sarcasm. "Good to see you too."

Van could only stare in wonder at the friend he hadn't seen in over a year. Moonbay was just as he remembered her, yet different.

Fiona clamped her hand over Van's mouth and smiled at her friend. "It _is_ good to see you, Moonbay," she said. "We weren't expecting visitors. Are you here to transport something for the Republican Army?"

Once upon a time, Moonbay had been the pilot for the Republic's Ultrasaurus. Since then, she'd gone back to her old ways as a transporter, earning her wages transporting goods between the two nations.

The dark haired girl shook her head and waved a finger. "Not exactly," Moonbay said. "I'm here on request."

"Request?" Steph repeated. "A request from who?"

"From me," Colonel Herman announced as he entered the conference room, followed by O'Connell. Without a word to his recruits, he joined them at the table. O'Connell stood behind him. "I'm glad you two could make it on such short notice."

"Glad to be here, Colonel," Moonbay said brightly. Irvine said nothing.

A curious expression crossed Steph's face as she sat down at the table. Storm curled up on the floor beside her with a yawn, folding her wings around her. "You asked Moonaby and Irvine to come here?" she asked. "Does this have anything to do with your meeting with Colonel Schubaltz earlier?"

"I'm afraid so, Steph," Rob said, his expression grim. "The colonel has requested our assistance to investigate a recent assassination attempt on Emperor Rudolf."

A collective gasp echoed throughout the room. Moonbay almost dropped her mug, spilling some of its contents over the table. Even Irvine was unable to keep a straight face. Of all the things they could have possible expected, this was not one of them.

No one seemed to know what to say. Becky wasn't quite sure she had heard right, and made a mental note to check her ears later – just in case they had cotton wool in them.

Finally, Moonbay broke the silence. "Assassination?" she repeated as she mopped up the spilt coffee.

Fiona looked distressed. "But who would want to assassinate Rudolf? That's just so horrible," she said quietly.

"A letter was sent prior to the attempt," Herman told them. "It claimed that Prozen's loyal followers would rise up to retake the throne."

Irvine clenched his fists. "Prozen," he snarled. "I thought we got rid of him when Van destroyed the Deathsaurer."When the ultimate Deathsaurer had been destroyed, it had been assumed that Prozen, acting as its zoid core, had been destroyed as well.

"Prozen might be long dead," O'Connell said. "But his ideals were quite popular with many officers in the Imperial Army."

"So you're saying someone in the army is behind this," Moonbay guessed. Her knuckled turned white as she gripped her coffee mug in her hands. The nations had barely survived the battle with the Death Stinger and the Deathsaurer – the Empire couldn't possibly withstand a revolution from within its own military.

"We don't know who's behind this Moonbay," Herman told her regretfully. "That's why we're sending you in." He looked at Van and Steph in particular. "You two are the best pilots in the program, you both graduated top of your class in your respective years."

Steph fixed him with a weary stare. "It's not like you to ding us praises, Colonel," she said. "What's the catch?"

Herman smirked to himself. It was next to impossible to get anything past the young lieutenant. "The catch is we don't have military approval. If you choose to go on this mission, you go as members of the Guardian Force, but without the backing of the Republican Military."

"Whether the military supports us or not, I'm in," Van said. "Rudolf needs us." Zeke growled, and Van knew what his partner was thinking. "Zeke's in on this too," he said. "How bout you, Irvine?"

The mercenary chuckled. "Yeah, I guess so," he agreed. "But I'm no Guardian Force member, I'm doing this for Rudolf."

Herman nodded. "I'm sure we can handle that," he said.

"I'll come with you," Fiona volunteered. "Who knows what kind of trouble you get into without me," she added, looking fondly at Van, who only laughed.

"That's three volunteers," Herman said, turning to Steph. "Do we have a fourth?"

Steph remained silent for a moment, thinking carefully. The thought of going on a new mission did have a certain appeal to it. Still, she had a foreboding feeling about it. "What do you think, Storm?" she asked quietly. The lilac organoid growled softly. The message was all too clear – the organoid was eager, but Steph wasn't so sure.

O'Connell seemed to sense her hesitation. "This isn't an official order that's come down for Guardian Force HQ," he reminded her. "You don't have to – "

"No," Steph said, shaking her head. Storm was right. The mission would be dangerous, but they couldn't rely on anyone else to do it. "I'll do it."

Herman nodded proudly. "I knew I could count on you," he said. "Colonel Schubaltz and Lieutenant Schubaltz will be waiting for you at Guardian Force Headquarters in the Empire." He turned to Moonbay. "Moonbay, can I count on you to escort Van, Fiona and Steph to Ebony base with your Gustav?"

Moonbay nodded. "Do you even need to ask?" she said cheerfully. "I'll be glad to do it."

"Excellent," Herman said, turning to the last member of the Guardian Force. "Becky, I'm counting on you to coordinate the mission from here."

"Gotcha," Becky agreed. "You don't have to worry about a thing, Herman. I'll hold down the fort while these guys are gone."

"It'll take us a while to pack and get the zoids loaded onto the transporter," Moonbay said. "If I start now, I can be ready to leave at dawn."

Herman nodded. "It's settled then," he said. "The Guardian Force departs at dawn."

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I wasn't particuarly happy with this chapter because I hit a writers block, hence the long wait, but I thought I'd update it now for you all , and I can just go back and rewrite it later.

And thanks soo much to all my reviewers.

til next time,

Darkened-Storm


	5. Captured!

**Zoids: Rebirth Century**

**By Darkened Storm**

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**Chapter Four: Captured!**

They set out soon after dawn in Moonbay's pink and white Gustav, with the two ligers and Irvine's Lightning Siax secured to her trailer. Storm and Zeke followed alongside them.

"Remember, this isn't an official Guardian Force assignment," Herman had told them before they left. "So try not to draw attention to yourselves. We don't want to scare off whoever it is we're looking for."

According to the route Becky had pre-programmed into the Gustav's Nav Computer, it would take them just over a day to travel across the desert to the Imperial air base at Ebony. They stopped at a small settlement known as light town for lunch and set up camp for the night in a small canyon, sheltered from the harsh desert wind.

"I am a transporter of the wasteland. I never know just where the dusty road will take me." Moonbay sang to herself as she prepared dinner. Canned cream of mushroom soup was perfect for a chilly evening in late fall.

Storm sat across the camp from her, curled up in front of the fire that Irvine had started as she hummed along with Moonbay's song and watched as Zeke chased a butterfly.

"The way I see it, it would be quicker for Van, Irvine and I to take the eastern route with the Ligers and the Siax," Steph said thoughtfully. She, Van, Irvine and Moonbay were huddled around Moonbay's road map, reviewing the route Becky had planned out for them. "But that route is far too treacherous for the Gustav."

Since they'd entered Imperial Territory, they'd kept the zoids covered on Moonbay's trailer so as to avoid attracting attention to themselves. Ligers were some of the rarest zoids around, and the Siax was one of a kind, making them too easily recognizable.

"The western route may take us longer, but I think it's safer," Fiona pointed out. "If we leave at dawn, we should still be able to make it by early afternoon."

"Maybe but – " Irvine stiffened. His uncovered eye narrowed and he slowly reached for the gun he always carried holstered to his belt.

"Van," he hissed, motioning for him to get up. Van rose without question, his hand immediately reaching for his father's knife he kept at his belt.

"What is it?" Moonbay whispered.

Zeke paused, his enhanced sensors high on alert, the firefly he'd been chasing flew away unnoticed. Storm growled warningly.

Irvine cocked the gun and held it ready. "We've got company," he muttered, nodding in the direction of the town. He reached up with his free hand to adjust his eyepiece.

"There," he muttered.

Van's expression darkened as his naked eye saw what Irvine's aided eye had seen moments before. "It's the Imperial Army," he said. "What would an Imperial Army unit be doing all the way out here?"

"Maybe it's just a patrol. There are some small towns not far from here," Fiona pointed out, but Van only shook his head.

"Look, there's a Dark Horn, and about six or seven molgas. That's a fairly decent unit. It's too big to be a patrol."

Storm snarled warningly and, with a flap of her lilac wings, glided over to stand protectively beside Steph. She growled, pointing her claw above them. More Imperial units had surrounded them at the top of the canyon.

"We better uncover the zoids in case this gets messy," Irvine said.

Steph looked around. Behind them, under the shelter of the canyon wall, the four zoids sat, covered by blue tarps for the night. They'd never get them all uncovered and mobilised in time.

"It's too late," she heard herself say. She estimated at least a dozen soldiers were coming towards them. She didn't need to look over her shoulder to know more were approaching from behind. "We're surrounded."

Irvine cursed.

Together, they waited.

The Dark Horn came to a halt only a few meters from their camp. The cockpit opened with a click to reveal a middle-aged Imperial officer dressed in a captain's uniform leaped to the ground.

"Search them men," he commanded. Several troops from the molga unit ran forward and began to search their camp.

Moonbay scowled. "What's the deal?" she demanded, slowly rising to her feet. "Does the Imperial Army treat everyone this nicely?"

The captain ignored her as his troops slowly made their way through their belongings for whatever it was they were searching for. Two soldiers uncovered the zoids on Moonbay's trailer.

"It's them sir," a blond soldier reported. "The two Blade Ligers that were seen in Light Town earlier today."

The captain looked pleased. "This is a restricted area under the control of the Guylos Empire," he told them. "You are travelling with unauthorised Republican zoids suspected of attacking and raiding Light Town earlier today. You will therefore be arrested and detained for questioning in the name of his Majesty, Rudolph Zeppelin the third."

Before any of them could object, the officer clicked his fingers and the chilling sound of the gatling guns of seven molgas being loaded and aimed in their direction filled the canyon.

Storm and Zeke both snarled dangerously, forcing their way in front of Van and Irvine to defend them. Van could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. The situation had quickly gone from bad to terribly bad.

"This is all just a misunderstanding," he said sheepishly, holding up his hands in defence. "My name is Van Flyheight, I'm a lieutenant in the Republican Army and a member of the Guardian Force."

The soldier sneered at him. "Nice try, kid," he drawled. "There's not even supposed to be any Guardians assigned here, let alone Republicans. Take them in for questioning," the commanding officer ordered.

"What!" Van exclaimed, the colour draining from his face as several of the soldiers closed in on them. "Hold on a minute, we didn't attack anybody."

Steph did a quick head count. There were six imperial officers surrounding them, not including their commanding officer. In addition to the seven molgas that had surrounded them in the canyon, there were three more above them. They were completely overpowered, even with Storm and Zeke.

Moonbay had come to the same conclusion. "Take it easy, Van," she whispered. "They've got us surrounded. We're not going to be able to fight our way out of this one."

Van glared at her. "You expect me to let them chuck us in prison for no good reason? What about Rudolph?"

Moonbay didn't have an answer. Hesitantly, she looked to Irvine and tried to guess what he was thinking.

The mercenary's hand still rested on his gun holster, but he appeared disinterested in what was going on. Slowly, he drew the gun and, with the Imperial soldiers watching, threw it to the ground.

"Irvine, what are you doing?" Van demanded, shocked.

Irvine only shrugged as two soldiers stepped forward and snapped a pair of cuffs around his wrists. Another apprehended Moonbay and Fiona.

The commanding officer turned to Van. "What's it going to be?" he asked.

Van sighed, realising they were out of options sighed and lowered his hands in defeat. "This sucks," he muttered to himself. A soldier stepped forward to put cuffs around his wrists, but Zeke snarled dangerously.

"Zeke, no," Fiona whispered. Hesitantly, she reached out with her mind to calm the organoid. Their bond was strong, stronger than Zeke's desire to protect. Zeke took a moment to come around, but slowly backed away from the soldier. He proceeded to slap the cuffs around Van's wrists.

The blond soldier that had spoken earlier approached Steph and proceeded to snap cuffs around her wrists. She winced at the cool, uncomfortableness of the binders.

As he tightened the cuffs around her wrists, she couldn't help but notice how young he was, she guessed he couldn't be much older than she was. His dark blond hair fell messily over his face, but as he stepped back from her, she caught a brief glimpse of the stunning, sapphire eyes beneath.

"Seize the zoids and tow them back to base," the captain ordered. He considered the organoids for a moment, then signalled to his soldiers. "The organoids too."

Zeke snarled, lashing out at the soldiers surrounding him. Storm too, went on the defensive, holding her ground, her large lilac wings flapping violently to deter them, but there were too many soldiers, even for an organoid.

The soldier holding Steph was watching the organoids hesitantly. His grip on her hands loosened as he prepared to help the other officers if the situation got out of hand. Exchanging a quick glance with Van, Steph had an idea.

Wriggling around in his grasp, she gave the soldier a hard jab in the ribs. Caught off guard, he doubled over with a gasp of shock. It wasn't much of a distraction, but it was enough to get the other soldiers attention.

"Storm! Zeke! Run!" she shouted.

The two organoids hesitated. Neither of them favoured the idea of abandoning their friends, but they didn't particularly want to be captured either.

"Go!" Steph urged. The blond soldier grabbed her roughly, twisting her hands, still cuffed, behind her back. He was quiet strong, she thought dismally. She looked back at Storm and Zeke and watched as they both fired their boosters and took to the sky.

"That wasn't very nice," the soldier said quietly in her ear, shoving her forward, in line with Van and Fiona.

Looking back over her shoulder, she caught sign of Storm and Zeke, watching silently from atop the cliff. Wordlessly, she signalled for them to wait. She knew they would obey her.

The holding cells at Ebony Base were uncomfortable to say the least. There were only two cells, with two beds each, so Irvine and Van had been confined to one cell, while Steph, Fiona and Moonbay shared the other.

The cells were electronically locked, much to Steph's dismay. Her old hair-pin in the lock trick wasn't any use to her without a keyhole. On a more positive note, they'd ended up exactly where they'd needed to be, now all they had to do was find Colonel Schubaltz. If they could get out of these holding cells that is.

It wasn't that Steph was particularly concerned with being held as a prisoner. She knew that sooner or later, somebody would contact Colonel Herman, Schubaltz or maybe even Rudolph himself to inform them that Republican representatives were being held.

What worried her was the bizarre circumstances in which they'd been arrested. She was about to bring that up when Fiona beat her to it.

"I don't understand," Fiona mumbled, resting her elbows on her knees and her chin in her hands. "The war ended a long time ago," she said. "Why are they accusing us and tossing us in prison just because we're Republicans."

"Somebody just tried to assassinate their Emperor," Moonbay reminded her. "As incredulous as it sounds, the people would rather blame the Republic than admit one of their own might be responsible."

"But that's stupid," Steph grumbled. The stone cold floor was hard and uncomfortable and was only making her feel more irritable.

"Can't say I blame them though," Irvine said. "The Republic and the Empire were at war with one another for over a century. It's natural for Imperial soldiers to be wary of republicans."

The mercenary had retreated to the bed in the far corner of the room and was staring calmly at the ceiling. Van wondered how Irvine could remain calm in a situation like this, but the mercenary's expression remained impassive.

"I don't know," Steph said quietly. "Imperial soldiers aren't normally this hostile. Something tells me something has gone very wrong in the Empire."

"Poor Rudolph," Fiona murmured. "He must be so frightened."

"The sooner we get to Guygalos, the sooner we can find who the real culprit is," Van said. "If we ever get there," he added glumly, glaring at the lock on his cell door and wishing Irvine still kept one of those fancy explosives under his eye patch like in the old days.

"I didn't even get to eat dinner before those antsy soldiers barged in on us," Van muttered absentmindedly. His stomach grumbled in agreement.

"Van... is that all you think about?" Fiona chastised.

They sat in silence in the long hours that followed. At first they considered taking it in turns to sleep, with one person standing guard at all times, but they quickly decided that this was unnecessary. It was highly unlikely that the soldiers would bother them before morning. Slowing, the nerves buzzing in each of them gave way to the desire for sleep.

By midnight, only Van remained awake, fighting a downhill battle against the tiredness that threatened to overcome him. Just as his eyelid fluttered shut for a long moment he heard something in the distance.

Slowly, he rose to his feet, his muscles aching, to peer through the bars. A group of soldiers were gathered at the end of the hall, conversing in hushed voices.

"Psst! Steph!" he hissed.

Across the hall, Steph stirred, opening one eye to glare at him. It hadn't been comfortable sleeping on the floor of the tiny cell, and she was tired from the long day of travelling.

"Someone's coming," he told her, pointing in the direction of the quite commotion.

Her annoyance quickly faded as she crept up to the cell bars and peered out. Listening intently, she heard three different voices. "Wake Irvine," she suggested. Van did so.

Soundlessly, as though he hadn't been asleep only moments earlier, Irvine got to his feet and joined him at the door, peering down the hallway through his uncovered eye.

"What's going on," Moonbay murmured, her voice husky as she too, rose from her bed and approached the bars of the cell. Steph and Van both raised a finger to their lips simultaneously and the transporter fell quiet.

"Go wake Fiona," Irvine instructed. Moonbay moved silently to the back of the cell to wake Fiona. Steph peered down the hallway again and though she couldn't see much in the dim light, she could hear the soldiers' footsteps coming towards them.

"I'm not going down without a fight," she said cooly. Van and Irvine nodded in agreement, their muscles tensed for a fight. This could be their chance to escape.

"Hey Fiona, wake up," Moonbay whispered, shaking the girl gently to rouse her.

Fiona stirred. "Hmm ... what is it?" the ancient zoidian murmured, sitting up slowly. Her garnet eyes widened as she saw Van and Steph's rigid stances. "What's wrong?"

"Someone's coming," Moonbay told her hastily. "Stay behind me." Fiona nodded silently and rose from the bed.

The voices were closer now, and three figures paused outside their cell. Steph drew a sharp breath as the tallest of the three soldiers began to unlock her door with an electronic keycard. A second jingle of keys told her that Van's cell was also being unlocked. With a click, the lock opened and the soldier stepped inside.

Steph moved so fast, using the element of surprise to get an advantage over the soldier, who was much taller and more built than her tiny frame. It worked, and she felt her fist connect with the soldier's cheek. A sickening crack echoed through the tiny cell.

The soldier stumbled back, his hand rising up to rub his cheek. "Gee Steph, what have I ever done to you?" he exclaimed.

She hesitated, vaguely aware of the throbbing pain in her hand. How many times had Herman reminded her not to punch blindly? She was pretty sure she'd hit bone.

Now that he stood in the light, she could make out more of his features. He was tall, with familiar dark blond hair and vivid olive green eyes.

Recognition dawned on her. "Thomas!" she exclaimed happily.

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**Haha! It's been so long I've almost forgotten how to update. Anyway, I've done some work on this plot, weeded out all the plot holes and I've got a pretty clear idea where it's heading, so hopefully updates so turn out a lot quicker now.**

**Anyway, this chapter is dedicated to two very special people, Kiro and Levells! You two are my muse, love you guys!**

**Please review =]**

**Til next time, D-Storm. **


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